About me - Certificate of Competence

I am a certified teacher and supervisor of courses based on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and have been dedicated to personal mindfulness practice since 2002. My lifelong passion lies in the study of original Buddhist texts and Buddhist psychology, which
intersects with Western psychology in the secular programmes I teach.

I have completed specialist training at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, where I earned a Master’s degree in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) with Distinction. I also graduated with honours in Psychological Therapies Practice
(Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Approaches) at Exeter University. I hold a Certificate of Competence according to the internationally recognised MBI-TAC criteria. Since 2023, I have been pursuing a DPhil in Psychiatry at the University of Oxford.

I teach courses for students at the Faculty of Medicine at Masaryk University and am a member of the Mindfulness Research and Practice Network of Masaryk University, an academic centre at the forefront of mindfulness research, teaching, and application in the Czech Republic. I am also a co-author of the eHealth mindfulness programme MUNI Healthy Minds, designed to support mental well-being and cultivate a fulfilling life. I teach in both English and Czech, in academic institutions as well as private organisations. Since 2024, I have been a tutor in the MSt in MBCT programme at the University of Oxford.

Ing. Alena Lašková MSt (Oxon) MSc

Code of Conduct

I endorse the Code of Conduct of British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches.
I also endorse it as a member of the Mindfulness Research and Practice Network of Masaryk University, that deems this document as a recommended standard for mindfulness teachers in the Czech Republic.

Introduction

Mindfulness practice is underpinned by personal ethical standards. As mindfulness-based teachers we therefore seek to embody ethical integrity as well as mindfulness, seeing both as central to the practice. The following guidelines offer a framework and anaspiration for ethical practice. We would expect that mindfulness supervision would include some inquiry into these issues including any questions about their interpretation in specific situations. Mindfulness teachers who are already bound by professional codes of conduct should of course continue to adhere to these ones; the guidelines below aim to complement professional codes of conduct and not to supersede them.

Respect for participants

I agree to show respect to all people with whom I come into contact during my work as a mindfulness teacher.
I will encourage participants, as appropriate, to maintain their own health and well-being.
I will not discriminate against people on any grounds. I will challenge colleagues/co facilitators if I think they are discriminating against people.
I will keep relat

Communication

I agree to communicate with integrity. I will listen carefully and respond in a respectful way at all times.
I agree to the best of my knowledge to ensure any written material on websites, email, information sheets, handouts etc. is up to date and accurate.
I agree to use any social media appropriately and responsibly.
I will work with participants to meet any individual communication and language needs, as far as is possible.
I will be open and honest about any issues that might create conflicts of interest and seek to ensure that they don’t affect my actions.

Working within Good Practice Guidelines

I agree to adhere to British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches Good Practice Guidelines for teachers.

This includes:

working within the scope of my training and experience. I will work only with populations with whom I have sufficient knowledge, skills and experience, and I will not extend the scope of my teaching without appropriate supervision and further training
engaging in regular supervision and making choices with integrity about what I take to supervision to ensure that I work within ethical and safe practice
keeping up to date with my knowledge and skills

Managing Risk

Where an individual’s needs fall outside of my knowledge, skills, and experience, I will, if possible, make suggestions about where they may seek alternative assistance.
I will take appropriate steps to assess and manage risk safely, in collaboration with the participant and with other involved professionals such as the person’s GP.
I will take responsibility for my own health and take appropriate steps if any health concerns might affect my performance or judgment and thereby put others at risk.
I will ensure I have appropriate professional indemnity insurance appropriate to the context in which I work.

Respecting Confidentiality

I will treat information given to me by participants as confidential.
I will be clear when and how I might need to share information, for example when required to by law for reasons of safeguarding against harm to the participant or others.
I will gain full consent from participants if sessions are to be electronically recorded.
I will ensure that any written material about a participant is accurate and is stored safely and securely. I will adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Good Practice Guidelines for Teaching Mindfulness-Based Courses.

I endorse the Good Practice Guidelines for Teaching Mindfulness-Based Courses of the British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches. I also endorse them as a member of the Mindfulness Research and Practice Network of Masaryk University, that deems this document as a recommended standard for mindfulness teachers in the Czech Republic.

These guiding principles have been developed to promote good practice in teaching mindfulness-based courses. Mindfulness courses are intended to teach people mindfulness in ways that can help with physical and psychological health problems and ongoing life challenges. These guidelines cover secular mindfulness-based programs taught in mainstream settings, normally over eight weeks.

These programmes are: Informed by a clear rationale; Teacher-led; Have been developed to be scaleable; Have a set curriculum, typically at least eight sessions with 30 – 45 mins daily home practice, incremental development and experiential learning; and have a clear commitment to be evidence-based.

Hence the courses covered by this Good Practice Guidance for teachers include but are not limited to those courses listed in Appendix 1 below.

A teacher of mindfulness-based approaches should have the following:

A. Mindfulness Based Teacher Training

Familiarity through personal participation with the mindfulness-based course curriculum that they will be learning to teach, with particular in-depth personal experience of all the core meditation practices of this mindfulness-based programme.
Completion of an in-depth, rigorous mindfulness-based teacher training programme or supervised pathway over a minimum duration of 12 months.

B. Training or background required in addition to mindfulness-based teacher training

A professional qualification in mental or physical health care, education or social care, or equivalent life experience, recognized by the organization or context within which the teaching will take place.
Knowledge and experience of the populations that the mindfulness-based course will be delivered to, including experience of teaching, therapeutic or other care provision with groups and/or individuals, unless such knowledge and experience is provided to an adequate level by the mindfulness-based teacher training itself. An exception to this can be when teaching with the help of a colleague who knows well the population to whom the course will be delivered and has a relevant qualification. They would also need to have an understanding of mindfulness-based approaches.
If delivering MBCT, knowledge of relevant underlying psychological processes, associated research and evidence-based practice, unless these are provided to an adequate level by the mindfulness teacher training programme.
If delivering MBCT or other mindfulness-based course with a clinical population, an appropriate professional clinical training.

C. Ongoing Good Practice Requirements

Commitment to a personal mindfulness practice through:
- daily formal and informal practice
- participation in annual residential teacher-led mindfulness meditation retreats with significant periods of silence
Engagement in processes which continue to develop mindfulness-based teaching practice:
- ongoing contacts with other mindfulness practitioners and teachers, built and maintained as a means to share experiences and learn collaboratively
- regular supervision with an experienced mindfulness-based teacher including:
  - opportunity to reflect on/inquire into personal process in relation to personal mindfulness practice and mindfulness-based teaching practice
  - ii. receiving periodic feedback on teaching through video recordings, supervisor sitting in on teaching sessions or co-teaching with reciprocal feedback.
A commitment to ongoing development as a teacher through further training, keeping up to date with the evidence base, recording and reflecting on teaching sessions, participation in webs forums etc.
Adherence to the ethical framework appropriate to the teacher’s professional background and working context.

Appendix 1: List of Courses

It is also hoped that teachers of lower intensity mindfulness-based courses such as the Finding Peace in a Frantic World course will work towards these guidelines.

Cookies settings

Zde máte možnost přizpůsobit soubory cookies podle Vašich preferencí.

Necessary cookies

Analytic cookies

Personalized cookies

Advertising cookies

You can reject all cookies .